POL 2103 Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Security Dilemma, High Politics, Power Politics

• School: University of Ottawa
• Department: Political Science
• Course: POL 2103
• Professor: Meseret Demissie

Document Summary

Self-help greater than alliance to ensure own security. Unit of analysis states -> the most important actors in the system. Power politics pursuit or use of power as a means of coercion and influence. Self interest rational actor"s pursuit national interest defined as power. Survival security is the primary motive of all states. Order in the system is identified as polarity distribution of power or by the collapse of the community. Econ is less relevant to national security than military is. Economics is important primarily as a means of acquiring national power and prestige. Human nature has nothing to do with why states want power. Power is not an end in itself; power is a means to an end and the ultimate end is survival. It is the anarchical structure of the system that forces states to pursue power -> create power politics -> steps to war.